| Butterfly Conservation |  |
| saving butterflies, moths and our environment |
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| Highland Branch | ||||
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Butterflies In Highland and Moray there are 26 resident butterfly species and 4 regularly occurring migrants. Some, which are in decline nationally, may still be found in Highland and Moray, for example the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Dingy Skipper and Small Blue. The Chequered Skipper, now extinct in England, occurs in a number of colonies in Western Inverness-shire. Anyone wishing to see this butterfly should visit Butterfly Conservation's Allt Mhuic reserve during the flight period, which usually begins in the second week of May and continues to the end of June. To find out more about Allt Mhuic and how to get there, please check out Butterfly Conservation's reserves web pages. Other species, such as the Peacock, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Ringlet are expanding their northerly ranges. The extreme western and northern parts of the Highlands, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland share an oceanic climate and are, on average, the windiest in the UK, being fully exposed to the Atlantic and closest to the passage of areas of low pressure. Inevitably fewer butterfly species are resident there. Interestingly, 2 new species have been added to the Western Isles list, namely the Speckled Wood which colonised the wooded Castle Grounds at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, around 2004, and the Ringlet which was first recorded at South Glendale, South Uist in 2008, and has been seen at the same site in 2009. Moths Almost 400 species of "macro" moth may be found in the area.
Butterflies and moths in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland - further information Butterfly and Moth Recording in the Outer Hebrides, by Steve Duffield, Moth and Butterfly Recorder for the Outer Hebrides (VC110) (PDF File) Western Isles Wildlife (Insects page) www.western-isles-wildlife.com/insects.htm Orkney Biodiversity Records Centre www.orkneylibrary.org.uk/obrc/home.html Shetland Entomological Group www.nature-shetland.co.uk/entomology/lepidoptera.htm Shetland Lepidoptera List www.nature-shetland.co.uk/entomology/leplist.pdf |
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| Butterfly Conservation Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268) |
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